Defining Educational Technology
Technology as a Tool for Learning
Technology of education is most simply and comfortably defined as an array of tools that might prove helpful in advancing student learning and may be measured in how and why individuals behave.
Some modern tools include but are not limited to overhead projectors, laptop computers, and calculators. Newer tools such as "smartphones" and games (both online and offline) are beginning to draw serious attention for their learning potential.
According to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology Definition and terminology Committee..
An Overview of the History of Educational Technologies
http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/historical-timeline-of-educational-technology
“Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.”
Richey, R.C. (2008). Reflections on the 2008 AECT Definitions of the Field. TechTrends. 52(1) 24-25
Begin by drawing a classroom: make sure to include the teacher, the students, desks, chairs and any other standard features of a classroom.
Key Associations
What is Educational Technology?
The term educational technology is often associated with, and encompasses, instructional theory and learning theory. An instructional theory is "a theory that offers explicit guidance on how to better help people learn and develop.” Instructional theories focus on how to structure material for promoting the education of human beings.
Learning theories are conceptual frameworks that describe how information is absorbed, processed, and retained during learning. Learning brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views
According to researcher and lecturer, Daniel K Schneider, “Educational technology is a wide field. Therefore, one can find many different definitions, some of which are conflicting. Educational technology can be considered either as a design science or as a collection of different research interests addressing fundamental issues of learning, teaching and social organization. Nevertheless, there are a few features on which most researchers and practitioners might agree:
- Use of technology is principled: Technology means the systematic application of scientific knowledge to practical tasks. Therefore, educational technology is based on theoretical knowledge drawn from different disciplines (communication, education, psychology, sociology, philosophy, artificial intelligence, computer science, etc.) plus experiential knowledge drawn from educational practice.
- “Educational technology aims to improve education. Technology should facilitate learning processes and increase performance of the educational system(s) as it regards to effectiveness and/or efficiency”
Reigeluth, C.M. (1999). What is instructional design theory? In C.M. Reigeluth (Ed.) Instructional design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. 2, pp. 5-29). Manwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Illeris, Knud (2004). The three dimensions of learning. Malabar, Fla: Krieger Pub. Co.
Retrieved at: http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Educational_technology#Definitions
Your Assignment
Working in three groups of five (5) students, create a multimedia poster - a Glog - using Glogster: http://edu.glogster.com/
Each Glog will present information about a Theory of Learning: Behaviorism, Cognitivism or Constructivism. The goal is to present the information in an easy-to-understand manner, using relevant text, images and video:
- Simple Definition
- Major Contributors (2-3)
- Role of Learner
- Role of Teacher
- Curriculum Design
- Types of Activities
- Assessment Strategies
You will time in class today and Thursday to work on these posters. You will then present these posters to your classmates when they are finished. Make sure to cite ALL of your resources.